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Week 9 - Sunday - 23 Jan. 2000

SHABBAT: CHAPTER 17: MISHNA 2

One may take a mallet to split open nuts, an axe to split a fig-cake, a saw to saw cheese, a spade to shovel dried figs, a winnowing-shovel and pitchfork for giving on it to a child, a reed and the whorl to stick with it, a hand-needle to take out with it a thorn, and a sackmaker's to open with it a door.

Kehati

We mentioned in the introduction to the previous mishnah that even a utensil whose normal application is a work prohibited on Shabbat may be moved in order to use it when it is needed, for a use that is permitted on Shabbat. This mishnah lists utensils whose normal application is for work prohibited on Shabbat, and illustrates for what purposes it is permitted to move them on Shabbat.

One may take a mallet to split open with it nuts - on Shabbat, and - one may take - an axe - which is normally used for splitting logs, to split a fig-cake - on Shabbat; a "fig-cake" consists of pressed figs that have been stuck together. One may take on Shabbat - a saw - in order - to saw with it - dry - cheese - and divide it into portions, for the serrated edge of the saw cuts the cheese cleanly

and does not cause it to crumble; a spade to shovel with it dried figs - from the barrel;

the winnowing-shovel - usually used for winnowing produce on the threshing floor, and the pitchfork - which is normally used to turn over the straw on the threshing floor, they may be handled on Shabbat - for giving on it - i.e., on them, food - to a child -If, for example, a person who did not wash his hands or whose hands are impure, wants to give terumah food to a child, he takes the food with a winnowing-shovel or with a pitchfork, and places the food before the child (Hameiri). According to another interpretation, "to extend by them food to a child on the other side of a brook," the Tanna, using an example of a child, because an adult could cross the brook by himself to take food from the other side (Tiferet Yisrael); the reed - The staff of the spindle with which women spin,

and the whorl - A wooden needle with which the weaver presses the warp threads in place, so that one thread will not be folded over another. These may be handled on Shabbat to stick with it - to insert them into some foodstuff, such as strawberries, so that the eater does not dirty his hands. One may take on Shabbat - a hand needle - A small needle, usually used for sewing, to take out with it a thorn - that is stuck in his flesh, for it is permitted to extract it on Shabbat (see Bartenura), and - it is permitted to take on Shabbat - a sackmaker's - needle, a large needle usually used for sewing sacks - to open with it a door - If, for example, he had lost the key.

SHABBAT: CHAPTER 17: MISHNA 3

A reed of olives, if there is a knot at its end, is susceptible to uncleanness; and if not, it is not susceptible to uncleanness. In either case, it may be handled on Shabbat.

Kahati

A reed of olives - Olives were generally collected in a special vat used only for olives, so that they would heat up and become soft. After a while, the olives would be turned over with a reed used for this purpose. The amount of oily substance on the reed would be examined to determine whether the softening process had been completed, and if the olives were ready to be pressed in the olive press. This mishnah teaches the law of this reed regarding uncleanness, and regarding moving it on Shabbat: if there is a knot at its end - A type of stopper (Rashi); or according to other interpretations, a kind of circle (Rambarn), or a type of button (Tiferet Yisrael), for when the olives in the vat were turned over with the reed, some oil would remain on the knot at the end of the reed, which was convenient for examining whether the olives were ready for the olive press; in such a case, the reed - is susceptible to uncleanness - Since the knot is like a receptacle, the reed is considered to be a vessel; and if not - If there is no knot at its end, it is not susceptible to uncleanness - For it has the status of a flat wooden implement, that cannot acquire uncleanness (see 6:8, above). In either case - whether it has a

knot at its end, or not, it may be handled on Shabbat - As it is a utensil used to turn the olives, one may move it on Shabbat for a permitted purpose to use it or if its place is needed. Were it not a utensil, however, it may not be moved (see our introduction to 17:1, above).

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